Maple Express | September 24, 2026 — Muslim woman punched while exiting a TTC bus in Scarborough

1. Muslim woman punched while exiting a TTC bus in Scarborough, advocates call it 'deeply disturbing'

Source: CP24

The North American Muslim Foundation (NAMF) said today (Sept. 24) that a woman who was punched in the face while exiting a TTC bus in Scarborough on Wednesday may have been targeted because of her faith. Foundation spokesperson Emad Ali said the assault happened at about 8:15 a.m. Wednesday near Finch Avenue East and Midland Avenue, as the victim was getting off the bus and an unknown man entering the vehicle struck her.

Ali said the victim, who is visibly Muslim and wears the hijab, was taken to hospital, where she was told she had sustained a concussion. He said the attack occurred "without any apparent provocation." He added that the TTC bus driver did not stop the bus after the incident, and it is unclear whether the driver was aware of what had just happened; no one intervened, he said. He said the foundation is deeply concerned the assault may have been motivated by anti-Muslim hate and Islamophobia.

Scarborough-Agincourt Coun. Nick Mantas, who was also at Thursday's news conference, called the incident "deeply disturbing." He said a young woman should be able to get off a TTC bus, walk through her community and return home without fearing that she will be physically attacked, and that no one in Toronto should feel unsafe because of who they are, how they dress, their faith, their culture or their background. He said the circumstances must be fully investigated by Toronto Police, including whether hate or bias played any role. In a statement to CTV News, TTC spokesperson Stuart Green condemned the attack, saying everyone riding on or working for the TTC deserves to be safe and feel safe at all times. He said the TTC immediately downloaded and preserved video of the incident and has made the footage available to Toronto police.

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2. Belleville synagogue shooting: police to give update today

Source: CP24

Police in Belleville, Ont., are expected to provide an update today (Sept. 24) on a shooting outside a synagogue that left one gunman dead and an officer critically injured. The SIU previously confirmed that Const. Jeff Smith was stationed outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville on Sunday, Sept. 20, when a man armed with a shotgun began shooting at the officer.

Sources who spoke to CP24 said Smith, a 13-year veteran of the Belleville Police Service, suffered multiple gunshot wounds, including one in the neck. Police identified the suspect as 29-year-old Sean Ward, who was rushed to hospital in life-threatening condition following an exchange of gunfire with police and later died in hospital. Smith remains in hospital, and his wife said in a social media post that he faces a "difficult road ahead." Police are expected to provide an update at a news conference at 2 p.m.

Jewish advocacy group B'nai Brith thanked law enforcement for preventing further tragedy. In a statement, it said that during Yom Kippur, the holiest date on the Jewish calendar, it is believed there was an attempted mass-killing of Jews praying at the Sons of Jacob synagogue, and only the brave efforts of law enforcement prevented further tragedy. The group said it has warned for months that the situation facing Canada's Jewish community has deteriorated, releasing multiple unprecedented reports since May highlighting the rapid acceleration of violent antisemitic incidents. It is calling for changes to the law to allow synagogues to hire armed, qualified security guards, and for government funding to ensure a sufficient police presence at every Jewish institution in Canada.

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3. Two Toronto police officers injured after cruiser struck during Rexdale auto theft probe

Source: CP24

Toronto police say two officers are in hospital after a vehicle involved in an auto theft investigation in Rexdale crashed into their cruiser early today (Sept. 24). In a post on social media, police said officers responded to the area of Islington Avenue and Elmhurst Drive at 2:30 a.m. for reports that someone was breaking into a parked vehicle.

When they arrived, police said, the officers observed two vehicles fleeing the area, and one of the vehicles collided with a police car. It is unclear whether the suspect vehicle involved in the crash was stolen. Police said two officers were transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and the driver of the other vehicle was arrested and taken to hospital with undisclosed injuries. Responding officers briefly pursued the second vehicle, but it fled and remains outstanding, and no suspect description has been released.

Images from the scene showed the suspect vehicle that collided with police rolled over as a result of the crash. The identity of the suspect in custody has not been released. Elmhurst Drive is closed between Islington and Turpin avenues, and drivers are asked to use alternate routes.

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4. Ontario woman dropped by insurer after two claims in five years

Source: CP24

Canadian home insurance rates have risen steadily over the past five years, due in part to extreme weather driving more claims. New figures from Lowestrates.ca show that even a single claim can push your rates up, and if you have two claims within five years, some companies will cancel your policy. That is what happened to Christine Buechler of St. Thomas, Ont.

Buechler told CTV News that a sewer backup flooded her basement and there were problems with tree roots in her yard, so she filed a claim of about $18,000. The claim was paid and she thought everything was fine, but in August she received a letter saying her insurance would not be renewed because of the "frequency of claims." She then remembered that three years earlier she had filed a $4,000 claim after losing a hearing aid. She was told two claims in three years meant she was considered "high risk," so she was dropped and had to scramble to find another home policy, calling 10 to 15 insurance companies, some of which would not take her.

According to Lowestrates.ca, one claim over five years could increase premiums by 20 to 22 per cent, and two claims over five years could make rates 30 per cent higher. Insurance expert Fleur Dsouza said home insurance exists to protect against bigger losses, and for smaller claims people may want to consider paying for them themselves. Buechler said her premiums have now doubled, and she would have replaced the hearing aid herself had she known it would affect her rates. She recalled asking her broker specifically whether her insurance would go up, and being told, "No, you should be fine."

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5. Police investigate suspicious tow truck fire in Mississauga

Source: CP24

Peel police are investigating a suspicious tow truck fire in Mississauga early today (Sept. 24). It happened in the area of Dixie Road and Shawson Drive, north of Highway 401, at around 3:25 a.m.

Police said officers arrived to find a flatbed truck fully engulfed in flames, and no injuries were reported. The incident is being investigated as a suspicious fire. Investigators are asking anyone with information, including CCTV or dash camera footage, to contact 12 Division Criminal Investigation Bureau at 905-453-2121, ext. 1233.

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6. One person rescued from Don River in critical condition

Source: CP24

One person was rushed to a local hospital in life-threatening condition after being pulled from the Don River in North York this morning (Sept. 24), Toronto paramedics say. The incident happened in the Flemingdon Park neighbourhood, near Eglinton Avenue East and Leslie Street.

Toronto Fire Services said they were called to the area at 7:45 a.m. for reports of a person in the water. The individual was removed and first-aid measures were provided. Police also attended the scene at that time for an unknown trouble call — person in the water. It is not known why the individual was in the river.

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7. Bonnie Crombie pitches extending Line 2 subway into Mississauga

Source: CP24

Mississauga mayoral candidate Bonnie Crombie says "it is time" to extend the TTC's Line 2 subway "into the heart of Mississauga." In a news release issued this week, Crombie unveiled a transportation plan dubbed "Mississauga Moves 2.0," whose centrepiece is a proposed extension of Line 2 into Mississauga to create a direct subway connection between the city and Toronto's existing transit network.

Crombie said in the release that the long-term objective is to extend the TTC's Line 2 west from Kipling, serve Sherway Gardens and continue into the heart of Mississauga. She said that if elected, in her first year as mayor she would seek a formal partnership with Ontario, Metrolinx, the City of Toronto and the TTC to launch a business case study examining potential routes, station locations, ridership and construction options. The study would also look at the possibility of running the subway above-ground along parts of the Dundas Street corridor rather than assuming the entire extension would have to be underground.

Crombie added that Vaughan is on the subway map and Scarborough is getting a major subway extension, saying Mississauga should be part of that conversation too. She also plans to connect the extension with other existing and planned rapid transit projects, including the Hazel McCallion Line, the Mississauga Transitway and MiWay. Another focus of the plan is the Hazel McCallion Line: she is calling for it to open to passengers no later than Dec. 31, 2028, and wants council to ask Metrolinx and Ontario, within the first 100 days of the next term, to publish a transparent milestone schedule showing what remains to be completed, when testing will begin and what needs to happen before passengers can board. She also proposed 15-minute-or-better all-day service on major MiWay corridors and 10-minute-or-better service on the busiest routes, plus an Airport Workforce Transit Network designed around the early mornings, late evenings, weekends and shift changes of airport workers. On roads, she proposed a "Traffic Flow First" program to synchronize traffic signals and expand adaptive signal technology, stronger enforcement against vehicles and construction activity blocking travel lanes during peak periods, and an annual congestion report card tracking travel times, delays, transit reliability and construction impacts.

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8. Ontario says 2025-26 deficit better than projected at $13 billion

Source: CP24

Ontario says its deficit is slightly better than initially projected. The province released the public accounts report for 2025-26 showing the deficit at $13 billion, compared with the $14.6 billion projected in the 2025 budget. The province ran a $1.1-billion deficit in 2024-25.

The government has said the shortfall was largely due to a $10-billion increase in program expenses in health and education. Health-care spending increased by $6.2 billion to $97.5 billion total for 2025-26, while education spending increased by $2.3 billion to $40.1 billion. The province says it had greater-than-projected revenue from government business enterprises, such as the LCBO and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2026, by Liam Casey.

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9. Ford recalls more than 57,000 F-150s in Canada over fuel system issue

Source: CP24

More than 50,000 Ford F-150 vehicles are being recalled in Canada due to an issue with the fuel system. In a recall posted by Transport Canada this month, the automaker said it is recalling 57,077 vehicles in model years 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026.

According to the notice, the fuel tank strap on certain trucks may not have been secured properly, meaning the tank could fall and fuel could leak, prompting the engine to stall suddenly. The recall says the loss of engine power could result in a crash, or a fuel leak could cause a fire, and if the tank separates from the truck it could create a hazard for other drivers and increase the risk of a crash. Owners will be notified by mail and advised to take their vehicles to a dealership for inspection and, if necessary, a fuel tank strap replacement. Ford is also recalling 223,472 F-150 vehicles in the U.S. over an identical issue, with a notice shared by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Sept. 9 saying owners can bring their cars to a dealership for inspection and repairs, with owner notification letters mailed out as of Monday.

The automaker has issued several recalls this year, citing issues with its engines, transmission equipment, rear quarter window glass trims and rearview cameras. In August, it recalled more than 150,000 vehicles in Canada and the U.S.; in July, around 33,000 vehicles were recalled in Canada over a transmission park feature issue, plus more than 36,000 over an engine fire risk; and in June, more than 430,000 vehicles were recalled in Canada and the U.S. over a seat belt defect, including nearly 14,000 in Canada.

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10. Report on child murders points to institutional failures, missed warnings

Source: CP24

A new report on child murders says institutional failures — and warnings from mothers that officials dismissed — played a role in the deaths of eight children in Canada. "Our analysis reveals that significant warning signs were present before each death but did not result in adequate protective action," says the report, drafted by the National Association of Women and the Law and law professors at the University of Sherbrooke. It says mothers (and, in one case, a grandmother) who had previously identified safety risks were disbelieved or penalized, while the children were left in contact with fathers whose abusive conduct was already known to institutions.

Published Thursday (today), the report analyzes the deaths of eight children in five different cases. It says that in all of the cases, family members expressed concerns about the children's safety and repeatedly reached out to police and family courts. In one 2019 case, a seven-year-old girl was found unconscious in her room in Granby, Que., and later died in hospital; she had been placed in her father's custody after being raised by her paternal grandparents. Her grandmother had warned authorities there was a serious risk of sexual abuse, but she "lost custody after being perceived as hostile for reporting the dangers the girl was exposed to while in her son's care," the report says.

The report cites several institutional failures in the case, saying the director of youth protection did not push for home visits and no action was taken after the girl was removed from school for a month. It says the child's stepmother was found guilty of manslaughter and false imprisonment, and the father pleaded guilty to false imprisonment. The report authors are scheduled to present their work at a press conference on Parliament Hill Thursday morning, joined by Liberal MP Lisa Hepfner, who has introduced a private member's bill that looks to curb parental alienation claims. Her proposed legislation says a court, with some exceptions, "shall not take into consideration any allegation that a spouse has, or is likely to, through deliberate manipulation, persuade or encourage a child to become estranged from or resist contact with the other spouse." The report says the concept of parental alienation is frequently invoked in Canada's courts to explain why a child resists seeing a parent and to cast doubt on allegations of domestic violence.

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